Friday, August 29, 2014

Fore!

We do believe there were air strikes undertaken in recent days by the
UAE and Egypt inside Libya," Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby
said at a news conference in Washington on Tuesday. The State
Department reacted similarly,
confirming the attacks but not saying whether the US was notified in advance - leading to an assumption that the country knew nothing of the strikes.

Several US officials are also being quoted in media reports saying
Washington had been caught off guard by air strikes carried out by the
UAE using Egyptian air bases. The lack of notification amounts to
diplomatic embarrassment for the United States, since the UAE and Egypt
are considered to be American allies. Washington is a significant
provider of military aid to Egypt and is regularly involved in arms
sales to the UAE.

Secret air strikes are "an astounding and unusual action," said William
Lawrence of the Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington,
adding that the US would not have approved of the move.

That behavior, he added, “will only bring more cost and
consequences to Russia.” After speaking with allies, Obama
continued, he expects a new wave of sanctions to come soon. The
president is expected to meet with NATO partners next week, and
said the US “will continue to stand firm with our allies and
partners” to protect Ukraine from further encroachment.